The Pope Francis announced on Sunday, May 29, after the Marian prayer of the Regina Caeli, that on August 27 there will be a consistory for the creation of new cardinals. One of the new cardinals is Mons. Fernando Vérgez, Legionary of Christ. He is the first Legionary to be named a cardinal. Also, Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, will receive the cardinal’s biretta. Fr. Ghirlanda accompanied the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi in their process of renewal.

“Let us pray for the new cardinals so that, confirming their adhesion to Christ, they may assist me in my ministry as Bishop of Rome for the good of all God’s holy people” (Pope Francis, May 29, 2022).

Monseñor Fernando Vérgez Alzaga

Fernando Vérgez was born in Salamanca (Spain), on March 1, 1945. He made his perpetual profession in the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ on December 25, 1965, and was ordained a priest on November 26, 1969. He earned a degree in Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and obtained a diploma from the School of Archivists of the Vatican Secret Archives. On August 1, 1972, he began his service in the Holy See in the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; in April 1984, he was transferred to the Pontifical Council for the Laity; in June 2004, he was appointed Head of the Office of the Holy See’s Internet Office; and finally, on January 10, 2008, he was appointed Director of the Telecommunications Directorate of the State of Vatican City. On August 30, 2013, Mons. Fernando Vérgez was appointed Secretary General of the Governorship of the State of Vatican City, and on October 15 of the same year, he was elevated to the episcopal dignity, being assigned the titular bishopric of Villamagna di Proconsolare. On September 29, 2020, he was appointed a member of the Reserved Matters Commission. On September 8, 2021, the Holy Father appointed him President of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and President of the Governorship of the State of Vatican City, simultaneously conferring upon him the personal title of Archbishop.

Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ

He was born in Rome on July 5, 1942. He earned a doctorate in Law from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1966. That same year, he entered the Society of Jesus and completed his theology studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest in 1973. Subsequently, he earned a license and doctorate in Canon Law at the same university. Since 1975, he has taught Canon Law at the Institute of Religious Studies, the Faculty of Theology, and the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he became a full professor. From 1995 to 2004, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law, and from 2004 to 2010, he was rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University. Ghirlanda has served the Holy See as a consultant to various Congregations and Councils: the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; the Congregation for the Clergy; the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts; the Pontifical Council for the Laity; the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; the Congregation for Bishops; the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; a member of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life; prelate and lawyer of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; judge of the Court of Appeal of the State of Vatican City. He has also contributed to the drafting of several Apostolic Constitutions. He has published several books and more than 110 specialized articles mainly on Canon Law. He is an Honorary Doctor by the Faculty of Canon Law of the Pontifical University of Salamanca.

List of the new cardinals:

1. S.E.R. Mons. Arthur Roche – Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
2. S.E.R. Mons. Lazzaro You Heung-sik – Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.
3. S.E.R. Mons. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga L.C. – President of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and President of the Governatorate of the State of Vatican City.
4. S.E.R. Mons. Jean-Marc Aveline – Metropolitan Archbishop of Marseille (France).
5. S.E.R. Mons. Peter Ebere Okpaleke – Bishop of Ekwulobia (Nigeria).
6. S.E.R. Mons. Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, O.F.M. – Metropolitan Archbishop of Manaus (Brazil).
7. S.E.R. Mons. Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão – Archbishop of Goa and Daman (India).
8. S.E.R. Mons. Robert Walter McElroy – Bishop of San Diego (USA).
9. S.E.R. Mons. Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, S.D.B. – Archbishop of Dili (East Timor).
10. S.E.R. Mons. Oscar Cantoni – Bishop of Como (Italy).
11. S.E.R. Mons. Anthony Poola – Archbishop of Hyderabad (India).
12. S.E.R. Mons. Paulo Cezar Costa – Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Brasilia (Brazil).
13. S.E.R. Mons. Richard Kuuia Baawobr M. Afr – Bishop of Wa (Ghana).
14. S.E.R. Mons. William Goh Seng Chye – Archbishop of Singapore (Singapore).
15. S.E.R. Mons. Adalberto Martínez Flores – Metropolitan Archbishop of Asunción (Paraguay).
16. S.E.R. Mons. Giorgio Marengo, I.M.C. – Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).
17. S.E.R. Mons. Jorge Enrique Jiménez Carvajal – Emeritus Archbishop of Cartagena (Colombia).
18. S.E.R. Mons. Lucas Van Looy S.D.B. – Emeritus Archbishop of Ghent (Belgium).
19. S.E.R. Mons. Arrigo Miglio – Emeritus Archbishop of Cagliari (Italy).
20. Rev. Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ – Professor of Theology.
21. Rev. Mons. Fortunato Frezza – Canon of St. Peter’s.